The present invention relates generally to motivational games and methods of playing the same. More particularly, the invention relates to motivational games and methods for assessing the pet training skills of a human and the obedience skills of a pet. Moreover, the present invention relates to motivational games for assessing the interaction between a pet owner and his pet and for comparing such interaction with the interaction between other pet owners and their respective pets.
The related art games and motivational tools, although useful for limited applications, do not achieve the benefits and advantages derived from the motivational 2game of the present invention. The related art games do not provide for a method of assessing the pet training skills of a human, the obedience skills of a pet and the interaction between a pet owner and his pet. Furthermore, the related art games and motivational tools do not provide for such a method in an entertaining board game environment.
Generally speaking, the related art games and motivational tools may be classified in two different groups. First, the related art includes motivational tools for teaching a family pet to perform obedience tasks. These related art motivational tools may also assess the obedience skills of a pet and the training skills of its owner. However, these related art motivational tools existing before the present invention do not include a board game apparatus that allows pet owners to make such assessments in a fun and entertaining environment.
Second, the related art includes board games of a general type designed to provide entertainment for their players. However, the related art board games existing before the present invention have not been directed to a game that assesses the training skills of a pet owner, the obedience skills of his pet and the interaction between that owner and his pet. In particular, it has been found that there is a direct correlation between a person's ability to communicate a command to his family pet and that pet's ability to perform the requested obedience task. Before the present invention, the related art did not include an effective way to assess interaction between a human and his pet and compare such interaction with the interaction between other humans and their respective pets in an entertaining board game environment.
The present invention overcomes these deficiencies of the related art board games and motivational tools. It is understood by those skilled in the art that the ability of a pet to respond to the commands of its owner depends on three criteria. The first of these criteria is the training skills of the owner. The training skills of a pet owner are closely related to the ability of the owner to communicate signal commands. The next of the three criteria is the obedience skills of the pet. This criteria measures the ability of the pet to understand the command signals of its owner. The final, but perhaps most important, criteria is the interaction between the owner and his pet. It is well known that some pets respond to only a select group of people, if any at all. The present invention assesses these three criteria, among other things.
In order to overcome the deficiency of the related art board games and motivational tools, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new pet-training board game which is designed to encourage pet owners to facilitate the process of training their pets.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new pet-training board game that allows pet owners to assess the obedience skills of their pet.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new pet-training board game that allows pet owners to assess their own training skills.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new pet-training board game that allows pet owners to assess the effectiveness of the interaction they have with their family pet.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a new pet-training board game that allows family members, friends or acquaintances to spend enjoyable time together while they assess their ability to interact with their pets.